The related properties of derivations in lattices are investigated. We show that the set of all isotone derivations in a distributive lattice can form a distributive lattice. Moreover, we introduce the fixed set of derivations in lattices and prove that the fixed set of a derivation is an ideal in lattices. Using the fixed sets of isotone derivations, we establish characterizations of a chain, a distributive lattice, a modular lattice and a relatively pseudo-complemented lattice, respectively. Furthermore, we discuss the relations among derivations, ideals and fixed sets in lattices. MSC:06B35, 06B99.